Pasta with Peas and Puréed Tomatoes

March 23, 2018

Celebrated East Village Italian Chef Frank Prisinzano lovingly describes his
“Pasta with Peas” lovingly on his
tumblr
and Instagram, but he doesn’t specify any measurements or timing as he does a
lot of his cooking by feel. For us more OCD chefs, I’ve taken a stab at
writing down measurements and timings that have worked for me.

Frank calls for the use of “Passata Di Pomodoro” which is strained, pureed
tomatoes. It is sometimes difficult to find at American supermarkets, so if
you can’t find it, you can use a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.

The sauce is a chunky, rustic sauce with tons of flavor due to the long
simmering time. I like to add bacon to give it a smoky characteristic. I like
to make this with Fusilli, but you can use Shells or any short pasta you
like.